Not Applicable
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the field of hand-tool handles that may be affixed to various types of demolition or wrecking tools.
2. Description of Prior Art
There are a number of manufacturers of demolition or wrecking tools in a class that are generally called xe2x80x9chooliganxe2x80x9d devices. These consist of a heavy forged tool head with several sharp tapered protrusions affixed to a long handle of metal or wood. They are commonly employed by fire departments, rescue crews, police xe2x80x9cSWATxe2x80x9d teams, or military xe2x80x9cspecial forcesxe2x80x9d groups. They are generally used to force entry through a secured door, window, or to create an opening to an interior space. The handle affixed to the devices is generally long, thirty inches or more, this is necessary to facilitate two-handed operation in order for the operator to be able to impart sufficient energy to the tool for it to operate effectively. While a number of variations have been employed with respect to the tool head, or working portion of the device, no improvement has been attempted with respect to the handle portion of the device. Therefore all of the devices of this class heretofore known suffer for distinct disadvantages with respect to the handle portion of the device:
(a) The nature of the designed use for these tools necessitates that the handle be of sturdy design and stout materials, or the handle-to-tool interface will fail, or the handle itself will fail. A wooden handle can crack and a metal handle bend or fracture.
(b) The heavy weight of the handle contributes significantly to the overall tool weight, which in turn can lead to operator fatigue. This is especially significant in situations where the tool must be carried long distances before it can even be utilized.
(c) The long handle, besides contributing to overall weight, can also contribute to bulk of the tool and can make it cumbersome to carry or transport.
In accordance with the present invention a lightweight extendable handle for demolition tools consists of a hollow tube through which an extendable handle can slide and lock in either the collapsed or extended position.
Accordingly, besides to objects and advantages of the lightweight extendable handle for demolition tools described in the above patent, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:
(a) to provide a demolition tool handle that is very strong and will not fracture, bend or fail, even with the most severe use.
(b) to provide a handle for a demolition tool that will be very light in weight and not contribute to operator fatigue, either while being carried or while being used.
(c) to provide a demolition tool handle that will reduce the tool handle length by fifty percent during the transport or carrying portion of tool operation, thus reducing bulk and increasing convenience significantly.